How to Deal With a Coworker Who Steals Your Ideas

How to Deal With a Coworker Who Steals Your Ideas

How to Deal With a Coworker Who Steals Your Ideas

It is almost inevitable that anyone who works--will at some point--find themselves robbed. Coworkers can pull off an idea as their own unintentionally--but in many cases--people will outright steal an idea. When you think this has happened to you--here are some ways to deal.

Instructions

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     Assess the situation. Before you get upset and lash out at anyone, take a step back and let yourself cool off. Your superior could be missing information or you may have not clarified correctly that the idea was yours. You shouldn't rub in when every concept is yours, but there is a way to passively mention your involvement. And when someone else steps in, it's important to see if they, in fact, did it. You may have heard them talk about it (perhaps to you) or you may have heard it through the grapevine. So if it is a rumor, be sure to get the facts before you do anything. The worst thing you can do is confront someone who is innocent. You don't want to harm your career or create tension at work.
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     Set yourself up. To prevent your boss from passing off your ideas as his or her own, be sure to note your contributions in any reporting and non aggressively ensure that other superiors see your innovative ideas. Doing this also helps your boss see that you are the idea originator in the event that an associate tries to steal an idea.
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     Confront the issue. Once you have the facts, you will probably want to confront your coworker. Going over his or her head to the boss could backfire and set you up as a tattletale--so when you approach a coworker, try not to accuse him or her and do not pull in anything personal. Be professional and willing to accept him or her saying that it was a misunderstanding. Try to resolve it as positively as possible -- then let it go.
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     Reward associates. One way to foster good karma and help prevent ideas from being swiped is to congratulate others when they come up with a good idea and recognize their contributions in front of others or in any reporting. This helps encourage them to do the same when you have the next brilliant idea.